Digest video specification system, digest video providing system, digest video specifying method, digest video providing method, and medium and program therefor

ABSTRACT

Producing digest video from AV data which includes retrieval means of retrieving multi-angle video from AV data having multi-angle video; digest video specification means of defining the retrieved multi-angle video as digest video; and digest video providing means of providing digest video, and an information terminal which includes receiving means of receiving digest video.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to, for example, a video-on-demand system,a file server, etc., and more specifically to a digest videospecification system, a digest video providing system, a digest videospecification apparatus, a digest video providing apparatus, a digestvideo specifying method, a digest video providing method, a medium and aprogram for the systems, apparatuses, and methods of providing digestvideo when it is requested from a terminal.

BACKGROUND ART

A system for accumulating a large volume of video, audio, computer data,etc. on a hard disk and an optical disk, and transmitting retrievalinformation at a retrieval request from a terminal has becomecommercially practical as a video-on-demand system, a file server, etc.

When the above mentioned information is to be provided for payment, auser has a strong demand to check, prior to the actual purchase of theinformation, whether or not the information is really necessary. Toattain this, there has been the development of: a method of preparingmenus using a still image, character information, etc. for correspondinginformation, and presenting them to the terminal; and a system forpreparing digest video etc. about corresponding information, playingback the digest video, etc. at a request, performing an accountingprocess when a purchase request is issued, and transmitting the entireinformation.

On the other hand, a DVD which is one of optical disks has recentlybecome widespread rapidly because of its high-definition video andhigh-quality audio playback. As compared with a CD or an LD (laserdisk), a DVD can record a larger volume of information. The codingcompression technology for recording video and audio on a DVD can be theefficient coding compression technology called MPEG 2. The MPEG 2enables a high-definition moving picture to be efficientlycode-compressed with high quality, and a plurality of programsconfigured by video and audio data to be time-division multiplexed andrecorded on the DVD.

Thus, by recording the video and audio using the coding compressiontechnology of the MPEG 2 on the DVD, the function which cannot berealized on the conventional CD or LD has been realized these days.

The above mentioned function will be described below by referring to anexample of recording live concert video of a music artist. In this case,in a live concert hall, various scenes of the concert are taken andrecorded by a plurality of cameras. For example, five camerasrespectively take the scenes of the “entire band”, only the “vocalist”,only the “guitarist”, only the “bassist”, and only the “drummer”. Thus,the five respective scenes taken at the five camera angles arerepeatedly edited until the video work is completed.

Since a DVD can record a large volume of data, and also cantime-division multiplex and record a plurality of scenes by the MPEG 2,the plural pieces of video concurrently proceeding in the same timeperiod can be separately recorded by the five cameras (at the angles ofthe entire band, only the vocalist, only the guitarist, only thebassist, and only the drummer) in such editing process.

Thus, by using the time-division multiplexing system of the MPEG 2 forthe DVD, the video (multi-angle video) taken by the respective camerascan be arbitrarily selected and played back by the user of a playbackdevice. This technology is the multi-angle facility of a DVD firstintroduced to the video media field, and the AV data including the videousing the multi-angle facility can be referred to as multi-anglesoftware.

The multi-angle software receives widespread attention in the DVD marketas software providing the excellent realism, the persuasion, thestimulus to intellectual interest, and emotional satisfaction byapplying the multi-angle facility to the important scenes in the moviesand animation.

Practically, in the case of movies, the scene of shoot-out (47 minutesand 5 seconds) of ‘Hannibal’ is simultaneously taken by four cameras,and the user of the playback device can freely select and enjoy anyscene of the four scenes concurrently played back.

Furthermore, simultaneously with the complete edition of animation film,a picture conte used in producing the animation film can be concurrentlyplayed back by some pieces of software which is referred to as amulti-angle facility. The software having the facility is calledmulti-angle software.

However, in the case of the system for accumulating a large volume ofvideo, audio, computer data, etc. on a hard disk and an optical disk,and transmitting retrieval information at a retrieval request from aterminal as in the case of the above mentioned video-on-demand systemand a file server, the user has a strong demand to check, prior to theactual purchase of the information, whether or not the information isreally necessary. Especially when the information is provided forpayment, the demand is much stronger.

To satisfy the demand, there has been the development of: a method ofpreparing menus using a still image, character information, etc. forcorresponding information, and presenting them to the terminal; and asystem of preparing digest video etc. about corresponding information,playing back the digest video etc. at the request of a user, performingan accounting process when a purchase request is issued from the user,and transmitting the entire information.

Since digest video can be actually obtained by the user playing back apart of the complete edition of a movie or animation, it is useful indetermining whether or not the user really requires the video and audiodata (hereinafter referred to as AV data) about the movie or animationbased on which the digest video can be obtained.

However, to satisfy the demand of the user, it is necessary to firstproduce the digest video from the AV data of a movie or animation. Thatis, it is necessary for a provider of the AV data to check in detailwhich scenes of the AV data are to be edited as digest video, select theportion of the AV data to be used as the digest video, and produce adatabase of digest video. Therefore, further operations and cost arerequired to produce digest video in addition to producing the AV data.

That is, there is the problem that additional operations and cost arerequired to produce digest video from AV data.

Furthermore, in such a media that can perform an interactive operationfor DVD or the like, at the time of providing a digest video, it isimpossible to interactively present any interesting elements of softwareby only simply providing the digest video incontinently. For example, itis surely impossible to present any interesting elements of multi-anglefunction of multi-angle software which is described in the backgroundart. Accordingly, even if the digest video of the multi-angle softwareis simply provided incontinently, it is surely impossible to make theuser interactively understand the interesting elements.

That is, there is such a problem that the interesting elements ofsoftware cannot be interactively presented by only simply providing thedigest video incontinently.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention has been achieved to solve the above mentionedproblems, and aims at providing a digest video specification system, adigest video providing system, a digest video specification apparatus, adigest video providing apparatus, a digest video specifying method, adigest video providing method, a medium and a program for the systems,apparatuses, and methods for providing digest video so that necessaryoperations are not complicated, and can be performed at a low cost inproducing digest video from AV data.

Furthermore, the present invention has been developed to solve the abovementioned problems, and aims at providing a digest video specificationsystem, a digest video providing system, a digest video specificationapparatus, a digest video providing apparatus, a digest video specifyingmethod, a digest video providing method, a medium and a program for thesystems, apparatuses, and methods of providing digest video so that theinteresting elements of software can be interactively presented.

The 1^(st) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 1)is a digest video specification system, comprising: a first device,comprising: retrieval means of retrieving multi-angle video from AV datahaving said multi-angle video; and digest video specification means ofdefining said multi-angle video as digest video; and a second device forreceiving said provided digest video.

The 2^(nd) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 2)is a digest video providing system, comprising:

-   -   a first device, comprising: retrieval means of retrieving        multi-angle video from AV data having the multi-angle video;        digest video specification means of defining the retrieved        multi-angle video as digest video; and providing means of        providing the digest video; and    -   a second device comprising receiving means of receiving said        digest video.

The 3^(rd) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 3)is a digest video specification apparatus, comprising:

-   -   retrieval means of retrieving multi-angle video from AV data        having said multi-angle video; and    -   digest video specification means of defining said multi-angle        video as digest video.

The 4^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 4)is a digest video providing apparatus, comprising:

-   -   a digest video specification apparatus according to the 3^(rd)        invention; and    -   providing means of providing said digest video.

The 5^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 5)is the digest video providing apparatus according to the 4^(th)invention, wherein multi-angle video of said digest video isinteractively processed.

The 6^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 6)is the the digest video providing apparatus according to the 4^(th)invention, wherein said providing means provides AV data of a completeedition using a correspondence table between digest video and the AVdata of the complete edition when the AV data of the complete edition isrequested by specifying said digest video.

The 7^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 7)is the digest video providing apparatus according to the 6^(th)invention, further comprising accounting means of performing anaccounting process before transmitting the AV data of said completeedition.

The 8^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 8)is the digest video specification apparatus according to the 3^(rd)invention, wherein said AV data is stored on a DVD.

The 9^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 9)is the digest video providing apparatus according to any one of theinventions 4 to 7, wherein said AV data is stored on a DVD.

The 10^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim10) is the a digest video specifying method of specifying digest videoby using multi-angle video from AV data having said multi-angle video.

The 11^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim11) is the a digest video specifying method of retrieving multi-anglevideo from AV data having said multi-angle video, and defining themulti-angle video as digest video.

The 12^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim12) is the a digest video providing method using a digest videospecifying method according to the 11^(th) invention, wherein amulti-angle video is retrieved and provided.

The 13^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim13) is the a program which is used in a digest video specifying methodaccording to the 11^(th) invention, and is used to direct a computer toperform all or a part of:

-   -   a step of retrieving multi-angle video from AV data having the        multi-angle video; and    -   a step of defining the multi-angle video as digest video.

The 14^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim14) is the a program which is used in a digest video providing methodaccording to the 12^(th) invention, and is used to direct a computer toperform all or a part of:

-   -   a step of retrieving multi-angle video from AV data having the        multi-angle video;    -   a step of defining the multi-angle video as digest video; and    -   a step of retrieving and providing the multi-angle video.

The 15^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim15) is a medium storing the program according to the 13^(th) invention,wherein said medium can be processed by a computer.

The 16^(th) invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim16) is a medium storing the program according to the 14^(th) invention,wherein said medium can be processed by a computer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a video providing system according to afirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an operation of the video providing apparatusaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows an example of an address management table according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows an example of branch target information which is acomponent of the address management table according to the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows an example of a menu screen according to the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows an example of an explanation screen according to the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows an example of a purchase information screen according tothe first embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 shows communications of information between a video providingapparatus and an information terminal according to the first embodimentof the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

-   1 VIDEO PROVIDING APPARATUS-   2 REPLICATION MEANS-   3 VIDEO DATABASE-   4 RETRIEVAL MEANS-   5 DIGEST VIDEO SPECIFICATION MEANS-   6 DIGEST VIDEO PROVIDING MEANS-   7 ACCOUNTING MEANS-   8 ADDRESS MANAGEMENT TABLE-   9 INFORMATION TERMINAL-   10 INSTRUCTION MEANS-   11 RECEIVING MEANS-   12 DISPLAY MEANS-   22 NETWORK UPLINE-   23 NETWORK DOWNLINE

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The embodiment of the present invention will be described below byreferring to the attached drawings.

First Embodiment

Described below will be a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a video providing system according to the first embodimentof the present invention.

The video providing system according to the present embodiment isconfigured by a video providing apparatus 1 and an information terminal9.

The video providing apparatus 1 provides a multi-angle software which isthe AV data of digest video and a complete edition corresponding to thedigest video when a request is received from the information terminal 9.

The information terminal 9 requests the video providing apparatus 1 andreceives digest information.

The video providing apparatus 1 comprises replication means 2, a videodatabase 3, retrieval means 4, digest video specification means 5,digest video providing means 6, accounting means 7, and an addressmanagement table 8.

The information terminal 9 comprises instruction means 10, receivingmeans 11, and display means 12.

In FIG. 1, a network upline 22 provides information from the informationterminal 9 to the video providing apparatus 1, and a network downline 23transmits information such as the AV data of digest information and theAV data of a complete edition corresponding to the digest information,etc. from the video providing apparatus 1 to the information terminal 9.

In the video providing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, the replicationmeans 2 replicates multi-angle software recorded on a DVD for sale tothe video database 3, and has the functions of, for example, a DVDdrive.

The video database 3 is a database of multi-angle software stored on ahard disk medium, and is obtained by sequentially recording themulti-angle software output from the replication means 2 to the harddisk medium.

The retrieval means 4 retrieves a portion having a multi-angle facilityin the multi-angle software stored in the video database 3, that is,multi-angle video, stores it in the video database 3 separately from theoriginal multi-angle software, and outputs the retrieved multi-anglevideo to the digest video specification means 5.

The digest video specification means 5 specifies the multi-angle videooutput from the retrieval means 4 as digest video, registers in theaddress management table 8 the address of the digest video of themulti-angle video in the video database 3, and associates the digestvideo with the multi-angle software including the complete editioncorresponding to the digest video.

Upon receipt of a request for digest video from the information terminal9, the digest video providing means 6 provides the requested digestvideo, and provides the requested multi-angle software when theinformation terminal 9 requests the multi-angle software including thecomplete edition corresponding to the digest video specified by theinformation terminal 9.

When the information terminal 9 requests the multi-angle softwareincluding the complete edition by specifying the digest video, theaccounting means 7 performs an accounting process relating to therequested multi-angle software.

The address management table 8 stores the branch target according to thestory of the digest video, and the information associating the digestvideo with the multi-angle software from which the digest video has beenretrieved.

On the other hand, in the information terminal 9 shown in FIG. 1, theinstruction means 10 indicates a GUI screen displayed on the displaymeans 12 in requesting the video providing apparatus 1 to transmitdigest video through the network upline 22 and, issuing a purchaserequest for the multi-angle software of the complete editioncorresponding to the digest video.

The receiving means 11 receives multi-angle software including menuscreen information, digest video, and the complete edition from thevideo providing apparatus 1 through the network downline 23.

The display means 12 displays multi-angle software including a GUIscreen, digest video, and the complete edition.

Described below will be the operations of the present embodiment.

The video providing apparatus 1 prepares a database as the videodatabase 3 of multi-angle software including digest information and thecomplete edition corresponding to the digest video to be provided forthe information terminal 9.

According to the present embodiment, the multi-angle software stored asa database in the video database 3 to be provided for the informationterminal 9 is the same as the multi-angle software explained above byreferring to the conventional technology. That is, the multi-anglesoftware provided from the video providing apparatus 1 is the AV datahaving the multi-angle facility for a user arbitrarily selecting andplaying back the video recorded by a plurality of cameras asconcurrently proceeding in the same time period, and is originallyrecorded on a DVD. Furthermore, the multi-angle software according tothe present embodiment includes animation and a picture conte to beconcurrently provided. That is, the multi-angle software to be processedin the present embodiment is AV data originally recorded on a DVD,stores at least in a part of it a plurality of scenes concurrentlyproceeding at the same time period, and has the multi-angle facility ofwatching the plurality of scenes by freely switching them.

When the multi-angle facility is used in all scenes of the completeedition during the production of multi-angle software, it is impossibleto completely record the entire movie or animation on one DVD because ofthe restriction of the recording capacity of the DVD, and the producingcost of the multi-angle software increases with an increasing number ofconcurrently proceeding multi-angle scenes.

Therefore, the multi-angle facility used in multi-angle software isnormally used in a part of scenes, not in all of the scenes of themulti-angle software. Therefore, the multi-angle facility is limited tothe scenes in which the producer of the multi-angle software intends togive the excellent realism, give persuading explanation, satisfyintellectual interest, and give emotional satisfaction to the user ofthe playback device. That is, the multi-angle facility is limited toimportant scenes in all scenes forming the multi-angle software.

Thus, the multi-angle facility in the multi-angle software is used in apart of scenes, not all parts of scenes, and is used only in importantscenes of all scenes forming the multi-angle software. The videoproviding apparatus 1 of the present embodiment automatically generatesthe digest video based on the above mentioned facts.

That is, when a DVD storing multi-angle software is inserted, thereplication means 2 replicates the multi-angle software recorded on theDVD in the video database 3. Normally, a copy prohibiting process isperformed on a DVD storing software such as a movie, animation, etc. forprotection of copyright, but the replication means 2 can generate areplica of software stored on the DVD by agreement of the copyrightholder regardless of the presence/absence of the copy prohibitingprocess.

The replication means 2 replicates the multi-angle software stored on aDVD in the video database 3 each time the DVD is inserted. When areplica of multi-angle software is replicated to the video database 3,the replication means 2 adds a multi-angle software ID which is an IDfor specification of multi-angle software to be replicated. Amulti-angle software ID will be described later in detail when theaddress management table 8 is explained.

Then, the retrieval means 4 retrieves the portion having a multi-anglefacility, that is, multi-angle video, from the multi-angle softwarestored in the video database 3, and outputs the retrieved multi-anglevideo to the digest video specification means 5. The digest videospecification means 5 specifies a portion available as digest video inthe multi-angle video, and registers the portion in the addressmanagement table 8.

That is, the digest video specification means 5 automatically specifiesdigest video from multi-angle video by registering the information shownin FIG. 3 in the address management table 8.

That is, FIG. 3 shows an example of the address management table 8. Theaddress management table 8 shown in FIG. 3 contains: a multi-anglesoftware ID for specification of multi-angle software from the videodatabase 3; a digest video ID for specification of digest video from thevideo database 3; a playback starting time and playback stop timeindicating the portion available as digest video in the multi-anglevideo; and branch target information about the multi-angle video.

A multi-angle software ID can be an ID added for uniquely identifyingthe multi-angle software when the replication means 2 replicates a DVDstoring the multi-angle software as described above. For example, thereplication means 2 adds a number of 1023 as a multi-angle software IDto the 1023rd replicated multi-angle software. Thus, a serial numberindicating the replication order of the multi-angle software ID can beused.

A digest video ID can be, for example, numbers and character stringsincluding a multi-angle software ID and a chapter number of themulti-angle video for use as digest video. For example, assuming thatthe multi-angle software ID is 1023 and the chapter number of themulti-angle video for use as digest video is 8, a character string of1023-8 can be used as a digest video ID. Thus, by using a multi-anglesoftware ID and a digest video ID, multi-angle software can beassociated with digest video. Furthermore, the chapter number ofmulti-angle software for digest video can also be specified.

The playback starting time and the playback stop time respectivelyindicates the playback time from the start of the multi-angle video. Theplayback starting time indicates the starting time of the portionavailable as digest video in the multi-angle video, and the playbackstop time indicates the stop time of the portion available as digestvideo in the multi-angle video.

Thus, the address management table 8 functions as a correspondence tablefor correspondence between multi-angle software and digest video of themulti-angle software.

FIG. 4 shows an example of branch target information of the addressmanagement table 8. The branch target information indicates the branchtarget of multi-angle video as shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows three typesof branch target information, that is, multi-angle information 1,multi-angle information 2, and multi-angle information 3. Using thebranch target information, the leading still image file and the video ofan angle corresponding to the still image file can be specified for eachpiece of multi-angle information. For example, the branch targetinformation about the multi-angle information 1 comprises addressinformation for reference to the leading still image file of themulti-angle video, and address information for reference to eachmulti-angle video. The multi-angle information 1 forms multi-angle videoby the video of three angles, that is, an angle 11, angle 12, and angle13. The branch target information refers to information for branch to avideo of a corresponding angle when the user specifies the leading stillimage file. Using the branch target information, plural pieces ofmulti-angle video concurrently proceeding can be arbitrarily switchedand displayed at an instruction of the user.

When multi-angle video is longer than a predetermined time, for example,longer than 3 minutes, the digest video specification means 5 specifiesthe AV data for 3 minutes, and defines it as digest video. Whenmulti-angle video is shorter than a predetermined time, for example,equal to or shorter than 3 minutes, the digest video specification means5 specifies the multi-angle video as digest video. The portion of themulti-angle video for use as digest video is recorded in the addressmanagement table 8 by setting the playback starting time and theplayback stop time as shown in FIG. 3. When the multi-angle video islonger than 3 minutes, the digest video specification means 5 specifiesas digest video the multi-angle video for 3 minutes from the start ofthe multi-angle video. The digest video is not limited to this setting,but the digest video specification means 5 can specify as digest videoany portion of the multi-angle video for 3 minutes in the multi-anglevideo. In any case, the digest video specification means 5 registers thebranch target information shown in FIG. 4 in the address managementtable 8.

Thus, when digest video is selected from multi-angle video, the digestvideo specification means 5 simultaneously registers in the addressmanagement table 8 the branch target information which refers to thebranch target in accordance with the story of the digest video in thevideo database 3 of the digest video, the information for associationbetween the digest video and the original multi-angle software, and theinformation specifying the portion for use as the digest video in themulti-angle video.

The video providing apparatus 1 repeats the above mentioned operationseach time a DVD storing multi-angle software is inserted into thereplication means 2, and automatically generates digest information.Thus, the video providing apparatus 1 registers the multi-angle softwareand the digest video to be provided for the information terminal 9 inthe video database 3.

Described below will be the operations performed when the videoproviding apparatus 1 provides the information terminal 9 with thedigest video and the multi-angle software prepared in the abovementioned operations.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of operations of the video providing apparatus.FIG. 8 shows communications of data between the video providingapparatus 1 and the information terminal 9.

First, the instruction means 10 of the information terminal 9 requests amenu screen by specifying and selecting a GUI displayed on the displaymeans 12. The request is transmitted to the digest video providing means6 from the instruction means 10 through the network upline 22 as shownin the a menu screen request 41 shown in FIG. 8. Upon receipt of themenu screen request 41, the digest video providing means 6 transmits themenu screen to the information terminal 9. That is, as shown in a menuscreen transmission 42 shown in FIG. 8, the menu screen is transmittedto the receiving means 11 through the network down line 23, and the menuscreen received by the receiving means 11 is displayed on the displaymeans 12.

FIG. 5 shows a menu screen 25 displayed on the display means 12. Themenu screen displays, for example, a list of movies produced asmulti-angle software. Assume that the user selects the title of a movie,for example, ‘Hannibal’ on the menu screen 25 using the instructionmeans 10.

Then, as shown in an explanation screen request 43 shown in FIG. 8, theinstruction means 10 transmits a request for the explanation screen of‘Hannibal’ to the digest video providing means 6. Upon receipt of theexplanation screen request 43, the digest video providing means 6transmits the explanation screen to the receiving means 11 of theinformation terminal 9 as shown in the explanation screen transmission44 shown in FIG. 8. The explanation screen received by the receivingmeans 11 is displayed on the display means 12.

FIG. 6 shows an example of an explanation screen 26 displayed on thedisplay means 12. The screen explains the contents of the movie‘Hannibal’ which is multi-angle software. In the software, the scene ofshoot-out (47 minutes and 5 seconds) is multi-angle video. By selectingand specifying view 27 and purchase 28, the user can view the digestvideo and purchase the complete edition of ‘Hannibal’.

Assume that the user of the information terminal 9 is consideringpurchasing the complete edition of ‘Hannibal’, and is consideringwhether or not it is to be purchased. In this case, the user operatesthe instruction means 10 and selects and specifies the view 27 on theexplanation screen 26.

Then, the instruction means 10 transmits a request for the digest videoto the digest video providing means 6 as indicated by digest videorequest 45 shown in FIG. 8. Upon receipt of the digest video request 45(S2), the digest video providing means 6 transmits the digest video asindicated by digest video transmission 46 shown in FIG. 8 (S3). Thedigest video transmitted from the digest video providing means 6 isreceived by the receiving means 11, and displayed on the display means12. In the digest video displayed on the display means 12, the portionspecified by the playback starting time and the playback stop time inthe multi-angle video as shown in FIG. 3 is played pack on the displaymeans 12. Then, by selecting and specifying the leading still image ofthe digest video by the instruction means 10, the angle of themulti-angle video can be freely switched. The user of the informationterminal 9 can interactively switch digest video and enjoy the digestvideo.

Thus, after the user of the information terminal 9 interactivelyoperates and enjoys the digest video, and then operates the instructionmeans 10, the explanation screen 26 shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on thedisplay means 12.

Assume that the user of the information terminal 9 enjoyed the digestvideo very much, and intends to purchase the complete edition of‘Hannibal’, and selects and specifies the purchase 28 on the explanationscreen 26 shown in FIG. 6. Then, a request for purchase information asshown in a purchase information request 47 shown in FIG. 8 istransmitted to the digest video providing means 6 from the instructionmeans 10.

Upon receipt of the purchase information request 47 (S4) the digestvideo providing means 6 transmits the purchase information as indicatedby a purchase information transmission 48 shown in FIG. 8 to theinformation terminal 9. Upon receipt of the purchase information, thereceiving means 11 displays the purchase information on the displaymeans 12.

FIG. 7 shows a purchase information screen 61 which is the purchaseinformation displayed on the display means 12. The price of ‘Hannibal’and the payment method of the purchase price are displayed as thepurchase information on the purchase information screen 61. The purchasecan be determined by selecting and specifying a purchase determination62, and the purchase can be canceled by selecting a purchasecancellation 63.

When the user purchases ‘Hannibal’, he or she operates the instructionmeans 10 and selects and specifies the purchase determination 62. Then,the instruction means 10 transmits an instruction to purchase ‘Hannibal’as shown in a purchase instruction 49 shown in FIG. 8. The purchaseinstruction 49 is received by the accounting means 7 from theinformation terminal 9 through the network upline 22.

Upon receipt of the purchase instruction 49, the accounting means 7performs an automatic payment process such as a payment by card, andtransmits the purchase instruction 49 to the digest video providingmeans 6.

Thus, the digest video providing means 6 transmits ‘Hannibal’ to theinformation terminal 9 through the network downline 23 as indicated by amulti-angle software transmission 50 shown in FIG. 8 (S6).

Upon receipt of the multi-angle software, the receiving means 11displays it on the display means 12. Thus, the user can view and enjoy‘Hannibal’ displayed on the display means 12.

As described above, the video providing system according to the presentembodiment transmits a menu screen and the explanation information fromthe video database 3 through the digest video providing means 6. Whenthe user transmits a request for digest video through the instructionmeans 10 from the information terminal 9, the digest video providingmeans 6 refers to the address management table 8, and transmits thedigest video at the corresponding address.

The user checks the digest video, and issues a purchase request to theaccounting means 7 through the instruction means 10. In response to therequest, the accounting means 7 requests the user to send account IDinformation such as a credit card number etc. through the terminal.

After the user inputs the corresponding information, the system refersto the address management table 8, retrieves the multi-angle software atthe corresponding address in the video database 3, and transmits theinformation to the information terminal 9 through the digest videoproviding means 6. Thus, the user can interactively enjoy the digestvideo, and can determine whether or not he or she is to purchase themulti-angle software by referring to the received information.

In the present embodiment, the replication means 2 replicates themulti-angle software recorded on a DVD, but the embodiment is notlimited to this application. That is, the replication means 2 can bereplaced with compression means of MPEG compressing a video/audio signalso that an input video/audio signal can be MPEG compressed by thecompression means and stored in the video database 3. Only a part of themulti-angle software stored in the video database 3 by the compressionmeans includes multi-angle video as with the multi-angle software storedon the DVD according to the present embodiment, and the multi-anglevideo is used in the important scenes in the complete edition. When theabove mentioned multi-angle software is stored in the video database 3,the effect of the present embodiment can be similarly obtained.

According to the present embodiment, all or a part of the multi-anglevideo is used as digest video. However, the embodiment is not limited tothis application. That is, the video before the start of the multi-anglevideo can be defined as digest video. Additionally, the video after theend of the multi-angle video can also be defined as digest video.Furthermore, both the videos before and after the multi-angle video canbe defined as digest video. Thus, by enhancing user expectation forinteractive multi-angle software, the user's appetite for buyingmulti-angle software can be stimulated. In short, according to thepresent invention, digest video is to be specified from the AV datahaving multi-angle video using the above mentioned multi-angle video.

The video providing apparatus according to the present embodiment is anexample of the first device of the present invention. The informationterminal 9 according to the present embodiment is an example of thesecond device of the present invention. The video providing apparatus 1according to the present embodiment is an example of the videospecification apparatus of the present invention. The multi-anglesoftware according to the present embodiment is an example of AV data ofthe complete edition according to the present invention. The multi-anglesoftware according to the present embodiment is an example of AV datahaving the multi-angle video according to the present invention.

The program according to the present invention is a program used todirect a computer to perform all or a part of the steps (or processes,operations, effects, etc.) of the operations in the digest videospecifying method according to the present invention, and operates incooperation with the computer.

Furthermore, a medium according to the present invention stores aprogram used to direct a computer to perform all or a part of the stepsof the operations in the digest video specifying method according to thepresent invention, and is computer-readable. The medium is used when theread program performs the operations in cooperation with the computer.

The program according to the present invention is a program used todirect a computer to perform all or a part of the steps (or processes,operations, effects, etc.) of the operations in the digest videoproviding method according to the present invention, and operates incooperation with the computer.

Furthermore, the medium according to the present invention stores aprogram used to direct a computer to perform all or a part of the stepsof the operations in the digest video providing method according to thepresent invention, and is computer-readable. The medium is used when theread program performs the operations in cooperation with the computer.

The abovementioned ‘a part of means (or a device, element, circuit,unit, etc.)’ according to the present invention, and the above mentioned‘a part of steps (or a process, operation, effect, etc.)’ refer to somemeans or steps in the plurality of means or steps, or refer to a part offunction or a part of operation in one means or step.

An embodiment of the program according to the present invention can bestored in a computer-readable storage medium, and can be operated incooperation with a computer.

An embodiment of a program according to the present invention can betransmitted through a transmission medium, read by a computer, andoperated in cooperation with the computer.

A data structure according to the present invention includes a database,a data format, a data table, a data list, a type of data, etc.

A storage medium includes ROM etc., and a transmission medium includes atransmission medium of Internet, light, electric wave, sound wave, etc.

Furthermore, the computer according to the present invention is notlimited to pure hardware such as a CPU etc., but can be firmware, an OS,and a peripheral equipment.

As explained above, the configuration according to the present inventioncan be realized as software or hardware.

Described below will be the correlation among the inventions disclosedin the present specifications.

That is, the first invention is the digest video specification systemcomprising: a first device comprising retrieval means of retrievingmulti-angle video from AV data having the multi-angle video, and digestvideo specification means of defining the multi-angle video as digestvideo; and a second device comprising receiving means of receiving theprovided digest video.

The second invention is a digest video providing system, comprising: afirst device comprising retrieval means of retrieving multi-angle videofrom AV data having the multi-angle video, digest video specificationmeans of defining the retrieved multi-angle video as digest video, andproviding means of providing the digest video; and a second devicecomprising receiving means of receiving the digest video.

The third invention is the digest video providing system according tothe second invention in which the multi-angle video of the digest videocan be interactively processed.

The fourth invention is the digest video providing system according toclaim 2 in which the second device comprises request means of requestingthe AV data of the complete edition by specifying the digest video, andthe providing means of providing the AV data of the complete editionusing the correspondence table between digest video and the AV data ofthe complete edition when a request is received from the request means.

The fifth invention is the digest video providing system according tothe fourth invention in which the first device comprises accountingmeans of performing an accounting process before the providing meansprovides AV data of the complete edition.

The sixth invention is the digest video providing system according toany of the first through fifth inventions in which the AV data is storedon a DVD.

The seventh invention is a digest video specification apparatuscomprising retrieval means of retrieving multi-angle video from AV datahaving the multi-angle video, and digest video specification means ofdefining the multi-angle video as digest video.

The eighth invention is a digest video providing apparatus comprisingthe digest video specification apparatus according to the seventhinvention, and providing means of providing the digest video.

The ninth invention is the digest video providing apparatus according tothe eighth invention in which the multi-angle video of the digest videocan be interactively processed.

The tenth invention is the digest video providing apparatus according tothe eighth invention in which the providing means provides AV data ofthe complete edition using the correspondence table between the digestvideo and the AV data of the complete edition when the AV data of thecomplete edition is requested by specifying the digest video.

The eleventh invention is a digest video providing apparatus accordingto the tenth invention comprising accounting means of performing anaccounting process before transmitting the AV data of the completeedition.

The twelfth invention is the digest video specification apparatusaccording to the seventh invention in which the AV data is stored on aDVD.

The thirteenth invention is the digest video providing apparatusaccording to any of the eighth to eleventh inventions in which the AVdata is stored on a DVD.

The fourteenth invention is a digest video receiving apparatuscomprising receiving means of receiving digest video when the digestvideo of a digest video specification apparatus comprising retrievalmeans of retrieving multi-angle video from AV data having themulti-angle video, and digest video specification means of defining themulti-angle video as digest video is provided.

The fifteenth invention is a digest video receiving apparatus comprisingreceiving means of receiving digest video provided from a digest videoproviding apparatus comprising the digest video specification apparatusaccording to the fourteenth invention and providing means of providingthe digest video.

The sixteenth invention is the digest video receiving apparatusaccording to the fifteenth invention in which multi-angle video ofdigest video can be interactively processed.

The seventeenth invention is the digest video receiving apparatusaccording to the fifteenth invention in which the providing meansprovides the AV data of the complete edition using the correspondencetable between digest video and AV data of the complete edition when thereceiving means specifies the digest video and requests the AV data ofthe complete edition.

The eighteenth invention is the digest video receiving apparatusaccording to the seventeenth invention in which the digest videoproviding apparatus comprises accounting means of performing anaccounting process before transmitting the AV data of the completeedition.

The nineteenth invention is the digest video receiving apparatusaccording to the fourteenth invention in which the AV data is stored ona DVD.

The twentieth invention is the digest video receiving apparatusaccording to any of the fifteenth to eighteenth inventions in which theAV data is stored on a DVD.

The twenty-first invention is a digest video specifying method ofspecifying digest video from the AV data having multi-angle video usingthe multi-angle video.

The twenty-second invention is a digest video specifying method ofretrieving the multi-angle video from the AV data having multi-anglevideo, and defining the multi-angle video as digest video.

The twenty-third invention is a digest video providing method using thedigest video specifying method according to the twenty-second inventionin which the multi-angle video is retrieved and provided.

The twenty-fourth invention is the digest video providing methodaccording to the twenty-third invention in which multi-angle video ofthe digest video can be interactively processed.

The twenty-fifth invention is the digest video providing methodaccording to the twenty-third invention in which the AV data of thecomplete edition is provided using the correspondence table betweendigest video and the AV data of the complete edition when the AV data ofthe complete edition is requested by specifying the digest video.

The twenty-sixth invention is the digest video providing methodaccording to the twenty-fifth invention in which an accounting processis performed before the AV data of the complete edition is transmitted.

The twenty-seventh invention is the digest video specifying methodaccording to the twenty-first or twenty-second invention in which the AVdata is stored on a DVD.

The twenty-eighth invention is the digest video providing methodaccording to the twenty-third to twenty-sixth inventions in which the AVdata is stored on a DVD.

The twenty-ninth invention is a program used to direct a computer toperform all or a part of: a step of retrieving the multi-angle videofrom the AV data having multi-angle video; and a step of defining themulti-angle video as digest video in the digest video specifying methodaccording to the twenty-second invention.

The thirtieth invention is a program used to direct a computer toperform all or a part of: a step of retrieving the multi-angle videofrom the AV data having multi-angle video; a step of defining themulti-angle video as digest video; and a step of retrieving andproviding the multi-angle video in the digest video providing methodaccording to the twenty-third invention.

The thirty-first invention is the medium storing the program accordingto the twenty-ninth invention in which the medium can be processed by acomputer.

The thirty-second invention is the medium storing the program accordingto the thirtieth invention in which the medium can be processed by acomputer.

Industrial Applicability

As apparent from the above description, the present invention canprovide a digest video specification system, a digest video providingsystem, a digest video specification apparatus, a digest video providingapparatus, a digest video specifying method, a digest video providingmethod, a medium and a program for the systems, apparatuses, and methodsof providing digest video so that necessary operations are notcomplicated, and can be performed at a low cost in producing digestvideo from AV data.

Furthermore, the present invention can provide a digest videospecification system, a digest video providing system, a digest videospecification apparatus, a digest video providing apparatus, a digestvideo specifying method, a digest video providing method, a medium and aprogram for the systems, apparatuses, and methods of providing digestvideo so that the interesting elements of software can be interactivelypresented.

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A digest video providing system, comprising: adigest video providing apparatus of preparing and providing a digestvideo; an information terminal of receiving said digest video providedfrom said digest video providing apparatus and displaying said receiveddigest video, wherein said digest video providing apparatus has:retrieval means of retrieving multi-angle video from AV data which istime-sequential and in which the multi-angle video is partially insertedin video which is not the multi-angle video; digest video specificationmeans of extracting digest video which is multi-angle video from saidmulti-angle video retrieved by said retrieval means; and providing meansof providing said digest video extracted by the digest videospecification means, and said information terminal has displaying meansof receiving and displaying said digest video provided by said providingmeans.
 18. The digest video providing system according to claim 17,wherein said multi-angle video comprises a plurality of videos which arerecorded by a plurality of cameras and which proceed concurrently at thesame time period and one of which can be selected freely by user. 19.The digest video providing system according to claim 17 or 18, whereinsaid digest video providing apparatus has an address management table ofmaking correspondence of digest video to AV data of a complete edition,and said providing means provides said AV data of the complete editionusing said address management table when said AV data of the completeedition is requested by specifying said digest video.
 20. The digestvideo providing system according to claim 17 or 18, wherein said digestvideo specification means extracts said digest video from saidmulti-angle video in just the state said multi-angle video is, and saiddisplaying means can switch and display said multi-angle video.
 21. Thedigest video providing system according to claim 20, wherein said digestvideo providing apparatus has address management table of includingbranch target information of multi-angle video, and said displayingmeans can switch and display said multi-angle video using said branchtarget information.
 22. The digest video providing system according toclaim 19, further comprising accounting means of performing anaccounting process before transmitting said AV data of said completeedition.
 23. The digest video specification system according to claim17, wherein said AV data is stored on a DVD.
 24. A digest videoproviding apparatus of preparing and providing a digest video,comprising; retrieval means of retrieving multi-angle video from AV datawhich is time-sequential and in which the multi-angle video is partiallyinserted in video which is not the multi-angle video; digest videospecification means of extracting digest video from said multi-anglevideo retrieved by said retrieval means; and providing means ofproviding said digest video extracted by the digest video specificationmeans.
 25. The digest video providing apparatus according to claim 24,wherein said multi-angle video is composed of a plurality of video whichare recorded by a plurality of cameras and which proceed concurrently atthe same time period and one of which can be selected freely by user.26. The digest video providing apparatus according to claim 24 or 25,wherein said digest video specification means extracts said digest videofrom said multi-angle video in just the state said multi-angle video is.27. A digest video providing method using a digest video specifyingsystem, including; a digest video providing apparatus of preparing andproviding a digest video; an information terminal of receiving saiddigest video provided from said digest video providing apparatus anddisplaying said received digest video, a retrieval step of retrievingmulti-angle video from AV data which is time-sequential and in which themulti-angle video is partially inserted in video which is not themulti-angle video; a digest video specification step of extractingdigest video from said multi-angle video retrieved by said retrievalstep; and a providing step of providing said digest video extracted bythe digest video specification step, and a displaying step of receivingand displaying on said information terminal said digest video providedby said providing step.
 28. A program which is used in a digest videospecifying system according to claim 17, and is used to direct acomputer to function: retrieval means of retrieving multi-angle videofrom AV data which is time-sequential and in which the multi-angle videois partially inserted in video which is not the multi-angle video;digest video specification means of extracting digest video from saidmulti-angle video retrieved by said retrieval means; providing means ofproviding said digest video extracted by the digest video specificationmeans; and displaying means of receiving and displaying said digestvideo provided by said providing means.